As farm equipment gets larger and heavier, yield loss and profit reduction caused by soil compaction is becoming more frequent. Fortunately, growers adopting no-till systems reduce the number of passes across each field and the overall risk of compaction.

With the concentrated dairy industry in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, crops there are often grown on land fertilized with liquid manure that is hauled into the fields in tanker loads. While the manure is valuable for its nutrients and organic matter, the weight of the tankers concerns those who understand the dangers of soil compaction.